Div 1 Junior League Final - McCormack Goal Proves Decisive for Sars'

Thurles
Sarsfields claimed the Mid Junior League Division 1 title at
Holycross on Sunday evening last with a Barry McCormack goal two
minutes after the half time break proving the decisive score in a
keenly contested affair.

With
conditions perfect for this final, the exchanges proved very close
all the way through. Indeed, scores were at a premium throughout with
a quite a lot of erratic shooting from both sides proving
frustrating. The Sarsfields lads managed to strike a whopping 16
wides in the hour and probably counted themselves lucky not to have
paid a heavy price for this, especially considering the close nature
of proceedings.

Moycarkey Borris started the better in the
game and were 0-2 to the good after seven minutes thanks to efforts
from Paidi Doran and Daniel Kirby. Sarsfields took some time to
settle but once they found their range they had scores from Jim
Mackey (2) and Stephen Fewer to give them the lead – Mackey's score
from play a real gem from under the stand.

The Sarsfields full
forward traded another point with Moycarkey Borris' Cathal Ryan but a
brace of Daniel Kirby points before the break gave his side a 0-5 to
0-4 interval lead – low scoring indeed for such a fine evening and
for two very evenly balanced sides.

Sarsfields introduced Cian
Treacy and Kevin O'Halloran at the break and they were to make a big
impression. Treacy scored with his first touch to level the game and
a minute later corner forward Barry McCormack had the ball in the
back of the Moycarkey Borris net to put some daylight between the
sides.

Sarsfields extended their lead to four points on three
separate occasions in the next quarter of an hour, but Moycarkey
Borris kept plugging away and cut the deficit time and again. Jim
Mackey and David Shannon traded with Eamon Ryan and Daniel Kirby;
Kirby again traded with Kevin O'Halloran; while Mackey swopped scores
with Paidi Doran to keep interest in this game very much alive.

Tony
Flanagan and Pat Ralph brought Moycarkey Borris to within a point of
Sarsfields with nine to go, but Cian Treacy chipped in with a very
important score for the Thurles lads followed by a 65 metre free from
David Shannon to restore the three point advantage.

Try as
they did Moycarkey Borris just could not break through the Sarsfields
rearguard for the goal they needed with Garret Foxton and David
Kearns particularly impressive alongside Rory O'Shea in the full back
line.

They had to be content instead with a point from Niall
Sullivan in injury time but it proved to be too little too late for
them.

Sarsfields title was fashioned on the back of solid
displays from David Shannon, Jim Mackey, John Connors, Cian Treacy
and David Kearns, while Kevin O'Halloran and Stephen Fewer were also
prominent as was Peter maher.